Grim Batol
Population: Unknown (100% red dragonflight, including dragonspawn). *Affiliation: Red dragonflight Grim Batol is a mountain fortress located in the eastern Wetlands. Its great walls and spires reach toward a steel-gray sky, but the stronghold’s bulk is underground. Founded by Wildhammer dwarves and later captured by orcs, a flight of red dragons now commands Grim Batol. The dragons guard a secret power within the fortress and let no one near. History War of the Three Hammers After losing in a three way civil war with the Bronzebeards and Dark Irons, Khardros of the Wildhammer clan lead his people north through the barrier gates of Dun Algaz. There they founded their own kingdom within the mountain of Grim Batol. After years of bitterness Thaurissan, leader of the Dark Iron clan, launched a double sided attack from his city in the Redridge Mountains against Ironforge and Grim Batol in hopes of taking all of Khaz Modan. Thaurissan led his forces against Ironforge while his sorceress wife, Modgud, attacked Grim Batol. The Bronzebeards were able to push back the Dark Iron assault led by Thaurissan at Ironforge. As Thaurissan withdrew to Redridge, Modgud's forces began to break through the gates of Grim Batol. Modgud then used her sorceress powers to call for the shadows from the earth to attack the Wildhammers within their own fortress. The Wildhammers viciously fought back against the shadows and the Dark Iron forces. Finally Khardros was able to push through the invading onslaught and slay Modgud. Leaderless, the remaining Dark Irons began to hasty retreat to Redridge; only to be intercepted by the Bronzebeard army which had come from Ironforge to assist Grim Batol. The remaining Dark Iron Forces were crushed between the Wildhammer and Bronzebeard armies. Following the total defeat of Thaurissan, the Wildhammers returned to their home in Grim Batol. What they had found was that the death of Modgud had left an evil taint in their fortress. The Wildhammers found Grim Batol uninhabitable; and founded a new home in Aerie Peak. Aftermath of the Second War During the Second War, Grim Batol was the center of all refining operations for the Horde's navy. It was also the main base of the Horde's dragon breeding program, where Alexstrasza the Red was kept captive and forced to produce Red Dragons to be used as mounts for Orc Dragonriders. The Horde used the Demon Soul and Dark Iron chains to control the Red Brood. Grim Batol remained in Orc hands long after the collapse of the Horde and the destruction of the Dark Portal, largely due to the power of their dragons. Eventually, thanks to the efforts of a band of unlikely heroes led by the mage Rhonin, Alexstrasza was freed. The Dragon queen immediately set about incinerating every Orc she could find, utterly destroying the power of the Dragonmaw Clan (in Azeroth) and killing the Orc warrior (ex-warlock / ex-shaman) Nekros Skullcrusher. The ruins of the Orc caravan that tried to escape the fortress can still be seen strewn around the entrance. Current Status Grim Batol is currently being guarded by the Red Dragonflight. Something powerful is suspected of being inside though whether the red dragons work to keep intruders out or whatever they are guarding in (or both), is unknown. The red wyrm Garshilan leads the fortress' defenses, aided by the young Acridistrasz and the Dragonspawn Baleflame. Grim Batol (dungeon) Many players believe that Grim Batol will eventually be added to the game as an instanced dungeon, but so far there has been no word from Blizzard to support this theory. It's possible that it may appear in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion but unlikely. More likely, if it is added to the game, it would be a free zone along the lines of Zul'Gurub or Zul'Aman. Grim Batol (zone) There is some implication in the novel Day of the Dragon that Grim Batol may be more than just the fortress in the Wetlands, and may also include a zone (also known as Grim Batol) east of the fortress that the Hill Dwarves take back after the second war. This area was known for its crags. It is also treated as its own zone in Lands of Conflict. In the Eastern Kingdom's map in WOW there is an unfinished zone to the east of the Wetlands and Loch Modan. The subzone in the Wetlands could act as an entrance to the zone in the future. In Lands of Conflict Grim Batol is listed as its own zone, independent of The Wetlands, and mentions that the bulk of Grim Batol is underground. More Magic & Mayhem discusses a mountain range near Grim Batol called the Great Bulwarks. In World of Warcraft In game it is a narrow, coastal zone east of the Wetlands and Loch Modan on the eastern coast of the Eastern Kingdoms. It appears on most world maps and is clearly demarcated, but lacks significant information. Perhaps it will never open as it might be just a sea wall of cliffs with no living creatures, but the Loch Modan map seems to suggest some flatter coastal land. It can be accessed via clever mountain climbing, but it is merely a bunch of hills with sheared, simple ground textures common to the connected zones (including the Great Sea). Currently, the area in the Wetlands is populated by various elite level 60+ red dragonkin and Axtroz, a mighty red drake. Blizzard Quotes Back before Closed Beta, Tigole mentioned interesting details about the Grim Batol. This is probably referring to the quest that Horde players must undertake to get their Onyxia keys. Most recently, after BlizzCon 2007, Bornakk had this to say concerning future development of Grim Batol: Category:Crags Category:Forts Category:Closed Zones Category:Lore